SWIMMING legend Ian Thorpe is in intensive care in hospital and could lose the use of his left arm, it has emerged.

The five-times Olympic champion reportedly contracted a bug after surgery in Switzerland, where he now lives.

He has been flown to his native Australia for treatment but there are fears for his future health.

His condition is believed to have severely restricted the movement in his left arm and local media say his friends fear he could lose the use of his arm altogether.

In February Thorpe's manager said the 31-year-old was suffering from depression.

He had been found disorientated and behaving oddly near a vehicle in Australia after taking a mixture of anti-depressants and painkillers for a shoulder injury.

Thorpe, who made his Games debut in Sydney in 2000, retired in 2006 due to a lack of motivation and made an ill-fated comeback in 2011 when he failed to make the Australian team for the London 2012 Olympics.

Thorpe's spokesman said today: "He is recovering from a shoulder operation and is in Sydney."

Thorpe is known as the Thorpedo for his lightning speed and has been named world swimmer of the year four times.